Déithe
by SirArthurNudge
Summary: Legend holds that at the beginning there was only Anu and from his epic struggle came all of creation... or has the truth really been lost with none willing to correct it...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Shen was not known for his compassion or for making haste.

As he hurried along the dusty road through the Dry Steppes, he was far from his usual self.

Night held sway and cast its darkness across the sky above him.

The endless drifting stars however kept it from consuming the light whole and glittered like the jewels he so coveted.

"Hurry up, stupid beast!" Shen shouted as he whipped his pack animal.

The cow sped up at the pain and the old wizened man had to run to keep up.

* * *

Dawn found them having passed the border into Scosglen.

They watched the sun rise as they stood on the outskirts of Tur Dulra, the greatest college of the Druids.

He paused to catch his breath and to let his cow graze.

Shen finally took a moment to himself and stared down at the swaddled bundle in the sling around his chest.

The baby slept on, ignorant of the turmoil her arrival had caused.

"You have luck on your side," Shen muttered. "Luck that made it me that found you first. You will be safe here until you have grown."

He dragged his beast back from where it had wandered off and once more set off along to the path.

By the time they reached the small enclave a light rain was starting to fall.

Shen argued with the guards at the gates until finally they relented and allowed the strange old man to enter.

He knew where he was going.

* * *

Shen walked along the muddy root covered pathway in a straight line to his destination.

The small hut he aimed for was sheltered under one of the many ancient trees of the forest. It had not changed in years and neither had its keeper.

It was far too early for the place to be open but Shen did not have time to wait. He hammered on the door.

"Open up!" he roared. "You are always so lazy! Morning is the best time for business!"

The front door opened slightly as the hut's occupant peered out.

"Shen? Ha! I knew this year had been going too well but to have you visit is going a bit far to balance it."

"Just open the door!"

"Fine, fine. A moment."

Shen hovered anxiously in the doorway as he waited. The door unlocked fully and he rushed into the building.

* * *

The shaggy red-head giant of a druid he was confronted with grinned.

"Shen. What have you got for me?"

"This."

He took the baby from the sling and passed it over.

"Eh... not your usual trade. What is this?"

"A secret. One to be kept hidden from the dark."

The druid frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"A fallen star, Oisi. You know what that means."

The druid stared down at the infant who still slept peacefully.

"What of the family?" he asked softly.

"None lived."

Oisi nodded. "Right. I will find a new home for her. We must act quickly, Shen. Time is never with us."

Shen reached into his side-bag and pulled out a small jewelled bracelet. Oisi touched it reverently.

"You have been keeping a lot of things from me."

"Only this. It has been so long since one of us has been born. Even we were not first birthed on this world."

"Hmm. True."

He took the bracelet from Shen's outstretched hand. Oisi gazed down at the peaceful child in his arms.

"I will keep her with me. Who better to care for her than one like her."

The old man chuckled. "Like I hoped you would. There would be none better to teach her than you."

Oisi snorted. "Praise from you is not praise at all, Shen."

* * *

The druid held the child up and stared at her face.

"She will be strong... as we all were," Shen mused.

Oisi lowered her back down and cradled her once more.

"What do you mean by were? I shall have my strength... but thank you, old friend."

"Will you be leaving this place?"

"I imagine I must. It was nearing time anyway for me to move on."

"Centuries pass by so quickly. I sometimes forget. Now forgive me but I must go. I cannot delay otherwise-"

Oisi reached out and shook Shen's hand.

"I know. Thank you. You know how to find me if you need to."

Shen nodded, gave a small smile to the infant before leaving Tur Dulra almost as fast as he arrived.

* * *

Oisi shut the door after him and gazed down at the child.

He took the bracelet he held and placed it on her right wrist. The metal glowed and started to shrink until it fitted her perfectly.

The druid sighed in relief.

"So... what shall I name you... I will have to think of something that fits. You shall be bearing it for a long time."

The baby's eyes fluttered open. Grey-green eyes stared back at him. For a moment there was understanding behind them.

Then she started to cry as her empty stomach pained her.

"And I need to get a wet-nurse."

Oisi put on the cloak he left near the door before venturing out with the wailing child to find what she needed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Sorcha! With me."

Oisi's voice was low and hushed as the druid crept along the undergrowth. A number of deer were walking through the thick brush of the forest, still unaware of his presence. He quickly got his bow ready.

He glanced to the side to make sure Sorcha had reached him. The nine-year old's blonde head popped up next to him as she peeked out at the animals in front. Oisi pulled back on the taut string of his bow with his arrow loaded, took aim and fired.

The shot hit the deer in the throat. Blood gushed out, staining the animal's fur red. It staggered forward a few feet before blood loss caused it to fall.

Oisi rushed to its side, drew a knife and quickly put the creature out of its suffering.

He looked up and grinned at Sorcha.

"Now... think you can do better if I gave you the bow?"

The girl shook her head. "Not yet, Dad."

He chuckled. "One day you will be besting me at it I am sure."

* * *

Oisi led his daughter in the task of cleaning and stripping the deer.

To make their job easier, they would do the gruesome work wherever they dropped their prey and, to his pride, Sorcha was becoming quite the expert at it. When she was younger it had been a much more difficult task for her.

Even now she was reluctant to take a life even of an animal but Oisi had faith she would one day be fully competent to survive in the forests on her own.

Not that he ever intended on abandoning her of course. The years since Shen had delivered her to his care had been kind to them.

They had lived in the outskirts of Tur Dulra until Sorcha had been fully weaned. He had luckily enough found a wet-nurse not too far from the college grounds. The lady had become very attached to the baby and had often asked to keep her.

Oisi couldn't let Sorcha go. The child had latched on to him as he had to her.

Once the toddler was on solid foods, he had packed up their belongings and the pair disappeared into the forests.

Oisi knew of ancient pathways that had long ago been lost to the knowledge of the living.

He led Sorcha to a home he used from time to time. Here they would be concealed from all - bar those foolhardy explorers that dared venture the dark and dangerous paths it took to reach them.

* * *

They quickly skinned their prey and cut off the choicest pieces of meat.

After bundling it all into a large bag, Oisi instructed Sorcha in thanking the deer for its unwilling sacrifice and left the remains for other creatures to feast on.

They headed homewards.

Sorcha spent the trip running barefoot along fallen trees and picking wild flowers.

Half the time she would sing songs that she heard from the trees, sky and stars. Oisi knew of what she spoke of but had sat her down to explain carefully to her young mind that it would be better if she never told anyone but him about that.

The bracelet was doing its job but Sorcha couldn't escape what she was forever. At least he would have her ready before the day came when the truth could no longer be hidden.

They arrived back to their hut in record time.

Sorcha's long blonde hair - with its scattered braids that had taken Oisi half an hour to weave into it that morning - bounced around her head like a halo as she hopped cheerily into the clearing.

Sorcha got to work doing her assigned chores while Oisi put a hunk of meat in a pot to cook before starting the curing process for the rest.

He sat and watched her dance around as she gathered herbs from the small garden she had begged him for.

Sorcha had a gift for growing things, not that he was surprised at that fact. She was almost perfectly in tune with life itself on this world.

Oisi chuckled as he heard her talking happily to the plants, thanking each for the leaves she plucked from their stems.

* * *

Winter would arrive soon.

He could feel its approach in his very bones. This season - the first time since she was small - Oisi would bring her back into contact with others. It was time for Sorcha to learn the social skills that would serve her well long into the future.

The girl had been excited when he had first informed her of the plan but now he could see her becoming nervous of the idea.

Oisi had no doubt that she would settle in to community life well.

He was more concerned by the dark forces that swelled and surged across the world.

Sanctuary had changed a lot from when he had first walked on its surface. The Nephalem that had once roamed the world were long gone, leaving behind another weaker race in their wake.

For the better as far as Oisi was concerned.

Too much power for those so young was never a good idea. Anu had been a perfect example of that folly.

In the time he had spent hiding with Sorcha many things had come to pass.

The worldstone was destroyed. They had felt it shatter and disappear, the ripples of its destruction echoing out unseen to many but clear as day to both Oisi and Sorcha.

She had only been five at the time and fearful of the distortion that warped the environment around her.

Oisi knew that the destruction of the stone had one certain consequence that he felt deep in his heart - the barriers separating the realms started to weaken.

Sorcha suffered nightmares from that night onwards.

She described to Oisi with perfect detail the war-torn landscape of Pandemonium, the angelic armies and the demons that fought across its plains. Sorcha felt the loss of the stone and its protection of Sanctuary far more than he did.

He watched his daughter continue in her tasks and sighed.

She was not strong enough yet to be able to defend herself against those who would use her for their own ends.

Not that it mattered. He would not let any harm her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What is this place? It... it feels wrong."

Oisi sniffled a little as he pulled on the reins, bringing their small wagon to a halt. "This is New Tristam, Sorcha."

His companion covered over her nose. "The stench of death... this place is surrounded by darkness, Father."

"I know. Come. They have just survived a terrible ordeal. There will be many requiring aid in one form or another. We might as well make ourselves useful before we begin our search in earnest."

He stepped off the rickety old wagon they had used to travel to this place. Once back on solid ground, Oisi took a good look at the grim surroundings.

Not far from this spot lay Old Tristam where this mess had started. The events leading up to the release of the Prime Evils and the worldstone's destruction on Sanctuary had taken root there.

* * *

He glanced behind him and offered his hand to Sorcha as she stepped off their transport.

His little girl had grown up.

Sorcha had become tall but had not reached heights such as his own. Years of learning the arts of survival on Sanctuary had left her with more musculature than the average human female they came across but nothing too obvious that it set her apart from others.

What did mark her out was how beautiful she had become. Sorcha's heart-shaped face was dominated by her large doe-like grey-green eyes and full lips. She still wore her blonde hair long with a few braids artfully scattered around in it. Right now she had yanked it all back with a piece of stretchy hide to keep it from falling into her eyes.

Their journey to this blighted place had taken many days and nights. The moment Oisi had seen the bolt of light that rushed across the sky he knew they had to follow.

It was no falling star that had crashed down into Sanctuary. Oisi knew an Angel when he saw it, even one that had forsaken its immortality and had fallen from the High Heavens.

He knew that the man he sought would have seen it too. Oisi just hoped that Shen's interest would have been similarly sparked and that his friend had decided to journey here.

* * *

The town was in mourning.

They both felt the overwhelming grief in the atmosphere the moment they stepped inside the gates.

The captain of the town guard was very informative about the attacks on the recovering village and the recent death of Deckard Cain.

He had known of the Horadic scholar and had some limited dealings with the man in Cain's youth. Oisi had learned to always be careful with those he dealt with and restricted how much they knew of him and how much contact they had overall.

The only person other than Sorcha who knew Oisi for who he really was was Shen.

After he had carefully given his sympathies, Oisi walked slowly through the town while looking around for his quarry.

A burning pyre blazed on a nearby hillside to the town. Sorcha stood on the edge of the town's square with her gaze fixed on the distant fire.

Oisi joined her. "He is there then."

Sorcha nodded. "A fallen Angel... who would have thought it..."

"I know of one who would make such a sacrifice."

His daughter raised a brow at that. "Why would anyone forsake their own realm for this place?"

"Tyrael does not think in the same way as his brothers and sisters do."

"The Archangel of Justice?"

Oisi hummed. "You cannot be forge such a thing as justice into a set form, Sorcha. Tyrael was a manifestation of Anu's dream of it. He and his siblings have become very much their own people in the many years since their creation."

* * *

Oisi suddenly brightened a little as he picked up on a distant voice he hadn't heard in years.

"Come... I have found him."

He led Sorcha down a small set of steps until he spotted who he had been searching for.

"Shen!"

The old man turned around from his stall.

"Oisi! Oh my... the girl too."

Shen stepped forward quickly and took Sorcha's right hand with its ornate bracelet into his own withered pair.

"How you have grown. Beautiful as I knew you would be. You shine like the most precious of jewels but not with their cold or heartlessness."

Sorcha gasped a little at the man's touch as it sent shocks up her arm. "You are like us," she whispered.

The old man smiled. "I am, little one. More like Oisi than you but near enough the same. We are all strangers on this world."

Oisi coughed. "We are on a quest, Shen. One which I think you are on too."

"Oh? And what one would that be?"

"I imagine gathering pieces of a magnificent crystal stone would be an easy task for a jeweller with a keen eye."

Shen smirked. "Perhaps... but what of it? What do you intend on doing with such a thing?"

"Piece it back together. Restore what has been lost by the naïvety of justice."

His old friend chuckled.

"I always did like how you would say things, Oisi. Come. I may have some of what you seek in my cart."

* * *

As the pair looked over some pieces, Sorcha herself turned her gaze up to the stars.

She grimaced a little as her heart skipped and pained her.

Behind her closed eyelids she saw a city of silver, gleaming in daylight... a massive diamond gate fractured and broken... an Angel clad in ornate armour lying on the ground. Sorcha reached down to see if the Angel was okay.

He woke up suddenly and grabbed her outstretched hand. He stared right at her. For a moment they knew each other by heart...

The vision disappeared.

She stumbled a little as reality flooded back. Oisi caught her quickly.

"Sorcha?"

"I saw it again."

Shen frowned. "Saw what?"

"The silver city with the broken gates," Oisi said softly. "And the Angel with a heart full of anger."

Sorcha leaned into her father's arms. "We have to fix the stone somehow. I can't keep doing this," she breathed out.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Oisi settled his daughter on a seat in the town square with a warm drink to relax while he and Shen busily went through what the old man had in his cart.

Sorcha leaned back in her seat until she rested against the cold wall behind her and stared up at the stars.

For a moment she was lost in the whispering voices that called to her.

She strained to hear what they said. Oisi could easily interpret the voices that echoed like musical notes across the sky but she struggled with it sometimes.

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Sorcha jumped a little before her eyes landed on the owner of the voice. A young woman with short brown hair and a yellow hairband had appeared at her side.

"Thank you for your concern," Sorcha quickly sputtered, "but I am all right. Just a little tired."

"I haven't seen you around here before. A newcomer?"

Sorcha smiled. "Yes. I have travelled here with my father. We are just passing through."

The human nodded. "I wish you well then on your travels."

Sorcha stopped her before the human could return to her tall stern looking companion who waited a short distance away.

"What is your name? I just... I wish to know. Not often you meet someone concerned over the health of a stranger these days."

The woman gave her a weak smile. "It's Leah... Leah Cain."

Sorcha flushed. "I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I had heard of your uncle before. He was meant to have been a great man."

Leah grimaced a little before looking to the side. "He was. Thank you."

The woman turned on her heel and stepped lightly away. Her companion gazed intently at Sorcha.

She met the man's eyes with a stare as determined as his own. She blinked, her pupils growing wide as the man in front of her changed.

Instead of the human in robes she was confronted with the same armoured Angel she had seen in her visions.

* * *

Tyrael frowned at the girl.

She was out-of-place. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly but he just knew she didn't belong on Sanctuary.

He saw those very human eyes of hers widen and turn almost black as she stared directly at him.

_What was she seeing_ he mused.

Surely she couldn't pick up on what he was...

* * *

Sorcha watched as the Angel pointed at Leah with the crystal-like spear in his hand.

The warm good-hearted human changed before her. Leah's skin turned a deathly pale, grey in parts with pulsing veins. The woman's soul was not there behind her eyes.

Sorcha blinked as the sudden realisation of what was going to happen to Leah washed over her in a flood of disbelief and sadness.

She was going to be betrayed but perhaps... perhaps Sorcha could do something.

She desperately rummaged around in her pocket before finding a small acorn - one of many she had retrieved before the start of their journey from the Glór-an-Fháidha, the greatest oak in Scosglen.

She quickly rushed over to Leah and grabbed her shoulder to turn the woman around. Sorcha pressed the acorn into the palm of Leah's right hand before closing her fingers around it tightly.

"In the hour of your greatest need, hold on to this."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just keep it with you. It will not fail you when you need it the most. I won't let you fall. Sanctuary shouldn't lose its best to the darkness."

Sorcha quickly hurried away.

* * *

Leah stared down at her hand. "I'm not sure what happened there," she said softly to Tyrael.

"Do as the girl asked. Keep it with you."

The human looked up at the tall Angel. "But how do we know that it is not some sort of trap?"

"It isn't. There is no demonic presence in the woman. She is something else."

Leah frowned. "What else is there? Is she Nephalem? Angel?"

"I have no answers for you as I have none for myself. We do not have time to think on this mystery. The Nephalem will be departing in a few hours. We should make ourselves ready too. Your uncle's death will not be in vain."

Leah stared down at the acorn before pocketing it. She left the Angel's side and headed away to gather her things for the journey ahead.

* * *

Tyrael walked down to where Shen the jeweller was chatting to a tall red-headed man with the blonde woman beside them.

"Excuse me but-" he began.

"Ahhh the mysterious stranger! How went the funeral rites?" Shen quickly interrupted.

"Adequate."

"Good good. I hear tell that you are moving on soon?"

"Indeed and-"

"Fantastic. I shall have to ready myself for the journey. I would like to see how this all ends. And be of help of course."

Shen's tall friend eyed Tyrael strangely. "Shen... I am afraid that Sorcha and I must leave. We have a long road ahead of us."

"Of course. Don't be a stranger, Oisi."

The druid grinned. "I won't. Good luck... to all of you."

The red-head grabbed a firm hold of Sorcha's elbow and led her away.

Tyrael watched them leave with interest. "Shen... what can you tell me about your companions?"

"Oh they are not that interesting! Oisi is an old friend. Now I have something that might be more worth your interest! How about this enchanted gem? I am selling it at an almost criminally low price!"

* * *

Oisi led Sorcha back to their cart and quickly helped her up.

"What is the rush?" his daughter asked.

"Shen has given me a number of shards. The longer we stay here the more dangerous it is for those around us. We can handle what will come but the townsfolk in Tristam cannot survive another assault. He has also given me a lead on where we might find another piece."

Oisi crack the reins and started the cart moving. Sorcha stared back at the quickly disappearing town.

"Father?"

"Yes Sorcha?"

"When I looked into Tyrael's eyes... I saw another for a moment in his place."

"Who did you see?"

"Valor. He was angry. I think... I think I have to save him."

"Save him from what?"

"Himself."

* * *

Oisi glanced over at his daughter who was gazing back at the distant lights of the town.

"Perhaps... or perhaps he is to save you."

"I don't know about that. I saw Cain's niece too. She was not herself in my vision."

Oisi frowned. "I fear that child's fate was preordained from the moment of her birth."

"Like mine I think."

Her father frowned at that but chose to keep silent. Oisi cracked the reins and urged the beasts onwards.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Just hold on to the rope! Don't worry! I won't let you fall!"

Sorcha looked back up out of the well she slowly descended into.

"It better be down here, Father. You know I am not fond of the dark!"

"Trust me! I know what I am talking about. You will feel it too soon enough."

Sorcha snorted as chills ran up her spine at the seemingly endless dark beneath her feet. Oisi was lowering her steadily using a number of ropes and a nearby tree to help secure his convoluted arrangement.

"Why can't you just teleport us down again?" she shouted up fearfully as the dark finally started to rattle her nerves.

"The shard is too close for me to warp in and out. You know that yourself! Now you should be nearing the end. Get that light of yours out."

Sorcha fumbled around in one of her pockets for the small cloudy white crystal she carried.

Once in her hand, she tapped on it four times before finally managing to spark what she wanted within.

The crystal erupted with white light.

Sorcha grimaced as she realised just how tight space was in the well. The stone walls covered in moss and grim from the centuries were pressed close around her.

She closed her eyes and took deep calming breathes as Oisi kept lowering her further down.

* * *

Finally Sorcha felt a definite change in the air around her, almost like a breeze suddenly caressing her skin. She opened her eyes, shone the light downwards and gasped.

"What do you see, Sorcha?"

"A cavern!" she shouted back up. "This is no well, Father. This is the entrance to a damn cave!"

Sorcha waited patiently as Oisi obviously thought through the next step.

"Right... I am going to lower you down the rest of the way. From there on I want you to move slowly through until you find the shard. I know you are completely capable to taking care of yourself but if you do run into trouble then get back here! I'll get you back up."

"All right. If you think so," Sorcha replied unsteadily.

* * *

Another few more minutes of that slow descent and finally her feet landed in the murky water that covered the cave floor.

It rose up past her knees to her disgust.

Sorcha freed herself of the ropes, shouted up to Oisi that she was on her way before taking a good look around. Her glowing crystal cast flickering shadows on the rocky walls.

The constant noise of dripping and flowing water drowned out anything else.

Sorcha eventually spotted a small tunnel leading out of the vast chamber. _As good a place as any to start looking_ she mused.

She quietly followed the bubbling stream of cold water that flowed along the tunnel.

As she went further in, Sorcha grimaced as a familiar tugging started within. Sorcha suddenly was almost overcome by a wave of nausea and had to stop for a moment.

As her stomach turned, the young woman barely kept her breakfast inside her.

The shard was close.

She dragged herself along the pathway until she spotted a distant flickering light. Over the noise of running water, Sorcha heard the chattering of rats followed by the low rumbling groans of what she knew to be Walking Corpses.

Just beyond the hordes, she spotted the source of the light.

It was the shard of the worldstone they sought.

Sorcha shook her head.

If she wanted it then she needed to get past those creatures.

With the shard being so close she knew it would not be a fair fight.

It's very vicinity to her even now drained her of power.

* * *

Her eyes took in the mossy covered rocks just to her right.

Oisi had always warned her not to do what she conceived of now lightly but she felt she had no other option.

Sorcha quickly placed her hands on the pile and focused everything she had into the lifeless rock and stone.

"Help me... please..." she whispered while pouring out every last drop of her strength.

The stones started to move of their own accord, tumbling on top of each other until instead of a random mound of rocks there stood a golem with shining eyes and a strange mossy covering.

It stared at Sorcha as it awaited its orders.

"I am so sorry!" she breathed out. "To bring you to life only to..."

The blonde shook her head. "Please... bring me the shard. Let nothing stand in your way."

The creature born of rock nodded before plodding down the tunnel.

Sorcha leaned back against the nearest wall and watched her creation charge into battle.

The golem, although only new to the world, crushed the many rats underfoot while it knocked away the shambling corpses with powerful swings of its arms.

Sorcha grimaced at each conflict, hoping against hope that the golem was strong enough for the task she had given it. Before she knew it, one of its stubby rock hands reached out and grabbed the glowing piece of crystal.

He started back to her slowly, pausing only to defeat any who opposed it on its return journey.

By the time it reached her there was none remaining who were a threat.

It offered Sorcha the crystal which she took eagerly even with the waves of sickness passing over her.

* * *

She found her steps back more difficult than the way down but, with the golem's help, Sorcha finally reached the rope.

Just as she was being lifted up, Sorcha looked down at the glowing eyes of the golem. It stared at her hopefully and reached out to her with one of its hands.

He would remain here alone in this dark cave if she didn't do something.

Sorcha couldn't let that happen.

"Father! Catch!"

She threw the piece of the worldstone they had retrieved back up the well. The ropes went slack and she let out a little squeal as she dropped almost back down to the cave floor while Oisi desperately grabbed at the crystal.

"You could have waited!" he grumbled at his daughter once he had retrieved both the crystal and the rope.

"Sorry," Sorcha shouted to him as the rope started to be pulled up once more.

She reached down and grabbed the hand the golem still offered her. The rocks fell apart into a mound while Sorcha carefully clasped the spark of life she had given him. It flickered and glowed warmly in her palm.

"Don't worry," she whispered to it. "I will give you a better body once this is all done."

She yanked out another opaque crystal from her belt and placed the golem's spark inside it.

"You just have to stay in there for the time being. Father will be angry at me if he knew..."

Oisi yanked her out of the well.

"You are soaking wet," he murmured.

"Worth it I think."

Her father laughed. "Indeed! Indeed... Come. Let us get to that inn a mile or so back. Some good food and a soft bed will do us both the world of good."

Sorcha followed after the hulking druid while smiling at the flickering spark in the crystal.

"I shall have to give you a name," she chuckled quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sorcha rubbed the back of her neck wearily.

She was uncaring about the dirt that now was liberally smeared on her skin because of the act. Her muscles ached and throbbed with pain after the hard work she had just been doing.

Her father was dragging the large jagged piece of worldstone, which was now free from the earth, into their cart. They had at long last found enough to now start putting the shattered stone back together.

Their journey had led them across almost the span of the whole world and yet they had only found about a half of what had been the stone.

Oisi had insisted that what they now possessed would do, even just to stave off the disaster that was coming.

With the time it would buy them they could find the rest.

* * *

As they had travelled they heard news of the calamity at Caldeum and the war raging in that fair land.

Sorcha had wanted to go and aid those who had gone ahead but Oisi had forbidden it.

"You cannot go. Don't reveal yourself to the denizens of Hell. You are not strong enough yet."

"I am!" she retorted angrily. "I can take care of myself."

"Oh really? And what about what happened at that cavern? I know you forged a soul down there to help you."

Sorcha froze at that. "How... I didn't..."

"I know you. You think I can't feel the spark you carry in your pocket? At least you didn't leave the poor soul behind. When we have time you are going to forge it a new body and a proper one at that. I thought I had raised you better, Sorcha."

* * *

She quickly shook her head free of that long ago conversation she had with her father.

Sorcha never wanted Oisi to be disappointed in her.

She joined the druid in his efforts as he lugged the piece of stone into the cart.

"So... where do we go from here?"

"You go to the High Heavens," Oisi said softly.

Sorcha frowned at him. "But why?"

Her father gazed at her. "Your fate is linked to theirs. Remember they are all that remains of the goodness of Anu. If they fall then Sanctuary will fall too. The Prime Evil has his sights set on their fair city and you need to aid them."

"I'm not ready! You told me I wasn't!"

"I know but we are out of time. Give me your hand... the one with the bracelet."

* * *

She slowly did as he bide her and handed it over, gasping as her father removed easily the small piece of jewellery.

As it slipped free of her hand the world around her froze momentarily as Sorcha took in a deep breath.

Power flooded through her in a cascade and she couldn't help but release some of it before it overwhelmed her.

She let out a cry as it exploded outwards.

When Sorcha opened her eyes the world had changed. Oisi was looking around with a slight smile at her handiwork.

The trees - which had been steadily losing their leaves - were now heavy with blossoms and fruit. A bright blue sky replaced the heavy grey clouds that had been there before she closed her eyes and even the large pit they had carved from the earth was covered in grass and flowers.

"What have I done," Sorcha mumbled to herself.

"You healed this place. I always knew your greatest strength would be in life, daughter. Now... you have time before you fully come into your own power. Go to the city and do what you must to save them. They won't understand now but in time... in time they will see you for what you are."

"But I don't know what I-"

"The plan, Sorcha. The one you spoke to me about."

Oisi reached into the back of the cart and brought back a small bag whose contents jingled. He handed it to her.

"This has what you need."

"Shards of the worldstone," she gasped as this time it didn't drain her. Instead its proximity filled her with strength.

"I shall travel to Arreat and see if I can combine what we have back together. If not then I fear it falls to you. They are all so busy arguing with each other that they cannot see the end is so near for them all."

Sorcha shivered. "The worlds will merge."

"If we don't stop it but we shall. You were born for that task... sent here for that very reason."

She quickly wiped away a stray tear that slid down her cheek. "I don't want to leave you!"

Oisi laughed before he embraced her.

"We can never be parted. I will be fine. I am certain Shen is already that far north so I shall not be quite alone."

His daughter clung to him tightly. Oisi pulled back a little and smiled.

"Sorcha... be good."

He quickly cast a teleport spell to Sorcha's surprise.

The world warped around her.

* * *

Sorcha found herself suddenly in a very different place.

She fell to her knees, only just stopping herself from vomiting before she somehow found the strength to take a proper look at her new surroundings.

One moment she had been on Sanctuary and now... now she was somewhere far different and alone.

"The silver city..." she slowly realised. "Damn you, father! You could have waited! I... I need more time. I am not ready for this..."

Sorcha sank down to her knees once more and tried to stop her head from spinning.

"Who are you?"

She glanced to the right before she stumbled in her effort to escape.

Sorcha stared up at the armour clad angel from her dreams who stood before her.

"I will ask only once more. Who are you? You are not demon but you wear the skin of a Nephalem."

Another angel said quietly, "End her now, Lord Imperius. She could be one of their tricksters."

Sorcha stared up at seemingly empty helmet. Imperius was staring as if he could see right through her.

"You are right," he finally said.

A blinding flash of light announced the arrival of Solarion into the archangel's hand. He quickly pointed it at Sorcha who was still too much in shock to do anything other than stare.

Just as he was about to strike her, he suddenly froze.

"He is here! How... no demon has ever reached the gates!" the archangel roared.

"Who, lord?"

"Diablo."

"That is impossible. How could the demon have made it this far?"

Imperius snarled, "It is no matter how Diablo has arrived! The fact is he has. Take this... thing into the cells. I will deal with it personally once the demon has been slain. Call forth the Host. War has come to our doorstep and it shall not find us wanting."

The archangel teleported away, leaving his companion and Sorcha behind.

"You heard, creature. Get to your feet."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Sorcha sat on cell floor with her back to the wall while she stared at the door over the tops of her knees that she had her arms wrapped around.

The fight outside was brutal by the sounds of it... by the feel of it too. The angels were losing their battle for survival and it hurt her deep inside.

The song in the air was no longer peaceful and calm.

It was a maelstrom of confusion, anger and hurt. Sorcha blinked back her tears before she grimaced as her stomach rolled and churned due to a far different source.

Demons always felt wrong to her.

All that hate, anger and darkness pulled at her insides worse than any poison she could have consumed.

She hurt more with the fact she knew where Diablo was going.

He was in a steady march upwards and that could only mean one thing - the demon going to corrupt a structure that could end the war forever.

"The Crystal Arch..." she breathed out in a faint whisper.

* * *

The battle with Diablo that Imperius had at the gate was the first stage that had assaulted her senses, especially when she realised what was just beneath the Prime Evil's toxic presence.

The acorn she had given Leah called to her.

It had done the task she had given it and now was trapped on Diablo's twisted form. The demon didn't notice its presence and Sorcha used that to her advantage.

When the beast had defeated Imperius – shattering the archangel's spear and impaling his form – Sorcha had influenced him as much as she dared without Diablo realising it.

She ensured that he didn't rush in to finish the job.

It gave the archangel enough time to teleport away to her relief although her distracted form received a punishing strike from the sword hilt of the angel leading her to her cell.

"Get moving," he had shouted at her.

* * *

Now she sat here alone while all around a war raged.

A great noise suddenly cut through the air.

Sorcha cried out and covered her ears in a vain attempt to silence the noise.

The Arch was screaming as Diablo began his dark work.

As she finally overcame the pain, Sorcha noticed the door to her cell was open.

She instinctively reacted and got to her feet fast.

* * *

Sorcha ran.

She ran with all the speed and sure-footedness that she utilised when only a few years back it was the deep forests with their myriad trees, roots and rocks that she sped through, not the palatial and gleaming thoroughfares that Sorcha passed through now.

Angels lay dying or dead all around her.

She couldn't save them all by treating them one by one. Sorcha needed to reach the Arch to cure the disease at its source.

She didn't know the way to her goal but she did have something that would help her in that task.

This city may have been strange to her but the call of Diablo was not. She followed the unpleasant pulling at her gut that intensified as she neared the demon.

* * *

Finally she reached the base of the Crystal.

She found Imperius once more.

The archangel lay on the floor surrounded by others of his kind, all unconscious.

High above Sorcha felt something had changed. The noise of battle filtered downwards and the corruption that distorted the song that whispered in the air had stalled somewhat.

She could do her work here and perhaps through that effort weaken Diablo enough to help those above her.

Sorcha ventured forward carefully, stepping lightly over the bodies on the ground.

It didn't take her long to reach her goal.

Once she reached the first exposed column of the great crystal spine she got to work.

She placed her hands on it, admiring the feel of its strangely broken perfection under her hands. Her eyes blazed with bright light as Sorcha contacted something she never expected.

"Anu..." she gasped before the image disappeared from her mind, replaced instead by the horrific visage of Diablo.

She poured everything she had into the task.

Just as Sorcha was starting to feel as though she had been really not ready and was struggling, the Prime Evil backed off before disappearing altogether.

* * *

She let go of her grip and staggered back from the restored Arch.

Distantly Sorcha made out the roar of the defeated Diablo.

She had to go before the triumphant heroes returned... had to get back to her father and disappear from sight.

Sorcha slowly edged her way back through the room full of hurt but now starting to awaken angels when a slight movement caught her eye.

Imperius was the first to regain conciousness as she past him by. She had just turned to see what had moved when he grabbed her hand just as he had in her dream.

Sorcha couldn't stop it.

What remained of her strength left her and flowed into the archangel. Sorcha collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

* * *

Imperius got to his feet and stared down at the tiny nephalem-like creature. He idly checked his wound which was now fully healed.

Inside something had changed too. His rage... anger... it was somewhat abated.

He stared down at the girl.

Imperius picked her up and teleported them both back to his dominion of the High Heavens.

Within the Halls of Valor he would find out what she was without the interference of the far too soft Council members.

Someone had to pay for what had happened and if she had any part to play in Diablo's arrival then he would have no hesitation in dealing out what Tyrael had failed repeatedly to do.

Imperius would dispense justice.

* * *

The Black Soulstone fell in a comet of dust, fire and smoke as Diablo's body fell apart.

Unnoticed to anyone, a small glittering acorn was blown away from it on its descent and soared through a broken window of a reading room.

It rolled and bounced before finally coming to a halt.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"My... head..." Sorcha croaked out as she finally woke up.

She blinked rapidly before covering her eyes from the sun that blazed in the window.

Sorcha lay in a soft bed with oddly smooth feeling linens covering her for a few minutes as she regained her strength and tested her body's willingness to move.

Finally Sorcha managed to sit up although a little hazily in the strange bed and looked around.

It was clear she was still in the High Heavens with the view she had from the window along with the ornate furniture and gleaming walls.

Sorcha became acutely aware of how cold she felt and realised that she was in fact naked under the sheets.

Modesty was something she developed as she grew older with Oisi laughing at her attempts to cover up.

He didn't view her body's nakedness with lust he told her. Where he was originally born there was a different ideal of beauty that he still found himself longing for.

But Sorcha noticed that fact didn't stop him from having lazy relationships with women from time to time although never at the expense of his daughter.

Oisi told her that what attracted him was their personality and intelligence. Everything after that wasn't as important to him.

* * *

Sorcha carefully wrapped the top sheet around herself, intensely aware of the sweat that left her skin feeling clammy.

The human desperately needed a bath to feel in any way like her old self.

She put her unsteady bare feet on the cool ground before slowly standing on her own.

Just as she was about to take a step forward, the door of the room opened of its own accord.

Sorcha went bright red once she registered who it was that entered.

"You... where are you going?" Imperius's voice boomed in what was once the quiet of the small room.

"I need a bath," Sorcha finally answered while backing up as much as possible from the imposing figure of the archangel.

"You have been asleep for many hours and I need answers more than you require vanity."

Sorcha pulled the sheet around herself tighter and set her jaw. "It's not vanity and I am not speaking any further until you let me go and bathe."

"You say that as if you have a choice in this matter."

Sorcha sat down on the bed after securing the sheet and folded her arms. She said nothing.

"Am I supposed to give in? Somehow bow down to your needs?" Imperius snarled.

She kept up her silence.

"Who are you? How did you end up here? Did you led that abomination to us?" he barked at her.

His questions were met with nothing.

"I do not pander. Answer or I shall assume guilt from your silence and decide on punishment immediately."

"That is unfair and completely illogical!" she shouted back at him.

Sorcha could almost swear that Imperius was gloating at her even in the darkness of his apparently empty helm.

"And now that you are talking again you can answer my questions."

* * *

Sorcha's eyes rolled in her head.

"I'll answer only if you promise that I can wash after this. I really need it. Call it a reward for good behaviour if that suits your ego better."

Imperius's ornate helm tilted a little to side. "My... ego? I have no such thing."

"Whatever you want to believe. Just let me take a bath! That's all! You know people tend to be more cooperative when they are at ease." Sorcha snapped.

Sorcha waited and watched, almost seeing the cogs in the angel's mind going.

"Fine. Bathing shall be permitted but afterwards-"

"Obviously afterwards some food and water would be fantastic along with some clean clothes. God! It has been so long since I have had really clean clothes... or new ones for that matter. Travelling does that to you I have learned. Do you travel much? I feel like I have been all over Sanctuary but Father insists that is not the case and that there is plenty left to see. I suppose I should be grateful that I have seen more than most would of it. A feather in my cap as they say in Westmarch! And I always loved the clothes in the Caeldum markets. Have you ever seen them? Caeldum and the markets I mean. So full of colour and life but I never found the right cloth there to match me. Too pale you see. I burn up under their sun in five seconds flat! One time when I was still small I burned so much that I couldn't walk for a week! Father obviously fixed it when he reached me. I was visiting the city with some of our friends while Father was off adventuring a few miles south. He was so mad when he finally returned and found me bedridden and sobbing. Anyway that was when he took me to look at some of the markets and I couldn't find anything to suit. Hmm! I love thinking back on such things. Anyway, let's see about this bath, shall we? Do angels eat and drink at all? Or even bathe?"

* * *

Imperius was obviously dumbstruck by the flurry of words that rushed at him.

Sorcha politely decided to get ahead while he was still processing all she said.

"So rude of me. Father always said I could talk an undead into crawling back into its grave! Perhaps you could find me clothes – my own or new - while I locate the bathing room?"

She patted his arm as she passed him by.

"Thank you! Oh! And some dinner would be greatly appreciated. I am famished. My stomach is rumbling all the time at me."

* * *

Sorcha padded out down the hallway with Imperius staring after her incredulously.

A couple of doors down, she jumped with excitement and shouted at the archangel.

"I found the bath! I won't be too long! Promise!"

With that, Sorcha disappeared before the door slammed behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Hmmm! This is sooooo goooood!" Sorcha purred before shovelling more food into her mouth.

Imperius along with a number of his subordinates watched in horrified fascination as she consumed more and more.

The archangel even tried to see if there was any visible change in her form that could be vaguely seen through the grey loose dress they had managed to locate for her.

"Lord, how can she eat as much as she has? I am nearly certain the nephalem has consumed her own body weight in food."

"Perhaps she is demonic as we first suspected," was Imperius's terse reply.

"Surely we would have sensed it by now if she was. Whatever she is, I don't believe she came from them."

Imperius snorted before glaring at Sorcha, the slight blonde having started trying to get their attention.

"Any more of those fruits?" the strange nephalem asked as she held a piece of a purple fruit in the hand that waved to them, "They are fantastic!"

She eagerly ate that last piece before getting started into the rest of dishes on the table.

Imperius shook his head in disbelief.

"Get her what she requires," he muttered. "But this is the last time," Imperius added to Sorcha alone. "You will need to answer more of my questions once you have finished."

With a full mouth and cheeks swollen with food like a squirrel's, she gave him a closed lipped smile before continuing her gorging.

* * *

"I'm soooo full! I really should have stopped while I was ahead..." Sorcha complained before stretching out on the soft sheets of the bed.

"You should have thought about that before you ate everything laid out for you," Imperius muttered as the dining table was removed from the room by others.

Sorcha stared at Imperius through half closed eyes. "My father always taught me that it would be rude to leave food behind on a table prepared for you."

"Gluttony is a very demonic trait."

"You still harping on about demons? Geez! I thought we sorted this earlier!"

"After the horror I have just witnessed, demons are back on the... table."

Sorcha sat upright a little in shock before she burst out laughing. "Who would have taught you capable of making a joke! I am impressed."

* * *

She dragged herself off the bed awkwardly before struggling over to a small table and chairs set up in front of the open windows overlooking the shining city.

After collapsing into a seat, Sorcha stared out at the view.

"It must be so wonderful to live here all the time. I mean to wake up every day and see all of this... just wow."

Imperius struggled to think of a response.

"Don't you think so?" Sorcha pressed him. "Back home I loved the forests. I mean the cities are great for a visit but just so lonely to live in."

"Lonely? Are the cities not full of life like your own?"

Sorcha couldn't stop the small grin that peeked on her face as she finally provoked a reply from Imperius that wasn't in some way connected to her being evil.

"Oh they are but they can be lonely too. I imagine that it is the same here."

She cast what she hoped was a casual glance sideways as the opposite chair to her own scrapped along the floor. Imperius with all his armour sat on it, his glowing wings made of ribbons light flowing out behind him.

"Loneliness is an unnecessary emotion."

"Doesn't stop it from existing." Sorcha stared out at the billowing clouds and sun. "To be alone among people is the hardest thing in the world."

"Why do you say that?"

Sorcha turned to face him. "Nothing is ever as sad as being surrounded by people who don't know you, don't understand you... who fear you."

Imperius thought over her words carefully. "You seem to have some experience of that."

"Maybe."

* * *

Sorcha leaned forward on to her elbows, long blonde hair with mingled small plaits tumbling over her shoulders as she did so.

"I think this is where you ask me the rest of your questions."

"What are you?"

Sorcha frowned. "That is a tough question to answer because I don't really know myself. My father says I'm a replacement."

"Replacement for what?"

"A dead god."

Imperius glared at her. Sorcha shrank a little under his intense stare.

"I don't expect you to believe me. Not like I believe it myself."

"This... father... What else did he say to you?"

Sorcha sighed. "You see he and an old friend made a mistake a long time ago. They goaded - taunted really - someone into a very rash action. When it was all over, they were punished."

"Punished?"

Sorcha hummed a little as she sought a more suitable word. "More like instructed. They had to walk through these worlds as temporary caretakers until... me."

Imperius watched fear cross the nephalm's face.

"Not saying that I believe you but I take it that the task is a duty you don't want."

Sorcha stared out at the city bathed in light.

"You tell me. Would you want the weight of all the worlds on your shoulders?"

"I defend Heaven. I led the Host into battle to save all that is good against Hell."

"And I am supposed to save you all."

Imperius was stumped. There was no trace of a lie in her voice and demeanour. Just an almost never-ending sadness coupled with a very real fear.

* * *

"You know some tea would be nice to go with the view," Sorcha said softly as she turned to smile at him.

"It would interfere with the questioning."

Sorcha's smile beamed almost brighter than the sun. "You could have some too! Tea doesn't mean we can't talk and... it would be nice to not be alone with my secrets for even a little while."

Imperius frowned at her. Sorcha shook her head and lost the smile as an exasperated breath escaped her lungs. "God, you must think I am so stupid."

"… Tea will be fine," Imperius rumbled.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sorcha had only the vaguest of ideas about how much time had passed since her imprisonment within her comfortable cell of a room.

She hoped that time flowed similarly here as on Sanctuary. If so then Sorcha had been within the city for two weeks.

Her father had not made contact or even any attempt she could sense to come and collect her. Sorcha more than once rued the fact Oisi had not taught her how to teleport.

Not that her days were boring.

She realized early on that Imperius had her squirreled away in secret. Often the windows to her room would be sealed shut, only allowed open at times when she suspected no one was likely to be around.

To keep occupied, Sorcha started to learn to control some of the new strength that was starting to ebb ever closer to the surface since Oisi had removed her bracelet.

It was slow and tedious but she had plenty of free time.

And she found it was worth while when the skills she already knew became far more powerful and some new gifts began to emerge from their shadow.

* * *

Imperius visited at least once a day. At the start it was always to question, almost harry her into answering as if seeking to catch her out on fibs.

Sorcha didn't lie... at least not to him.

By the end of the first week, he just would arrive. Often tea followed shortly afterwards. They would sit together, Sorcha drinking the hot beverages and chatting aimlessly about one thing or another.

The archangel was mostly unchanged, preferring to simply sit and listen to her ramblings.

Then, at some undetermined point, he would get back to his feet and teleport away.

Sometimes Sorcha fancied she could almost hear a summons for him, perhaps the Council needing his leadership.

* * *

"Are you happy?" she idly asked him one day.

Imperius's helm with the suffocating dark within faced her. For a man with no real face Sorcha had certainly gotten very good at reading his emotions.

"I am Valor, not Happiness."

"My father always said that just because people say you should be one way doesn't mean you have to be. Look at me! I have no idea what I am but... actually, I am a really bad example. My old friend, Ashi, from Tur Dulra is a far better example. He was assigned to be a druid, almost given no choice in the matter. His father was one, his grandfather before him, and almost all the male line going back centuries. But Ashi, well he wanted to be a hunter and he got it. See, just because people say you have to be one way doesn't mean squat. You can be Valor and happy too. Actually Ashi has fantastic tracking abilities. He once chased a wolf pack on foot for three days through the deeper forests! Long story there. And he is dating again to the entire community's surprise considering how badly his last one went. At least his last letter said he was. I have to reply. He hates it when I forget to respond. You know he asked me out once? Had to let him down gently. My father didn't want me stepping out with someone at thirteen. He might have had a point there. I was always talking about something silly. Oh! Have you seen how Lucius looks at Helius?! Now I know I shouldn't gossip but he is clearly head over heels for her. It's so sweet when they are on duty together here! Lucius is always trying to carry things for her or give her little breaks away. Do you have relationships like that with each other? Oh god, imagine how cute baby angels would be! I wonder would they have tiny suits of armor like yours!"

Sorcha chuckled to herself before slowly realising that she had just completely dominated the conversation.

Imperius didn't seem to mind. He just stared at her from the dark recesses of his helm with something akin to amusement.

"Sorry. I just talk way too much sometimes."

"I have noticed."

Sorcha took a sip of her drink and stared out over the now familiar view.

* * *

"I have a question for you."

Imperius's deep voice roused her from her reverie.

"Like the good old days. What is it?"

"If you are a replacement for a dead god, I imagine that makes you one yourself?"

Sorcha grimaced. "Funny how you have carefully avoided that one since we talked about that part of myself."

"I had things to look in to."

Sorcha sighed. "If you listened to Oisi then yes. But I don't feel like one. I don't have phenomenal cosmic powers or... hell, I can't even teleport away from here."

"Why is that?"

She shrugged. "No idea. Like everything else, my father said he would tell me when I was older and here I bloody am – trapped, with no clue how to escape and... and feeling so damn small."

Imperius's wings flickered and stretched as he ruminated on her words.

"Yet as a god... goddess, you were born on Sanctuary. A world forged by traitors and populated by the living embodiment of their sin. Born into their flesh even."

"Humans are mostly good. The nephalem... not so much although they don't quite exist anymore."

"You feel like a nephalem," Imeperius retorted.

"But I am human!" she answered with a cheery wave. "And goddess-y too I guess."

Imperius got to his feet, the conversation obviously over.

"Bye to you too," Sorcha muttered as the archangel warped away without another word.

* * *

Soon her guards would arrive to seal the windows, leaving her cut off from the world once more.

"Father..." she whispered. "Where are you?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Do you believe her story, Lord?"

Imperius snorted at his lieutenant's question. "No but there is something wrong with her alongside the delusion she holds. I shall figure out what that-"

"Lord Imperius!"

One of the guards he had posted to keep the nephalem confined arrived in a flash of light.

"The nephalem! Someone has gotten in! The seal has been broken!"

Imperius didn't need to hear any-more. He instantly teleported away, leaving the other angels behind.

* * *

He found himself face to face with the ornate door behind which should have been the girl.

The guard was right he mused while running a gauntleted hand over the cold metal, attempting to find the archaic seal that had been there but now was gone.

In a fit of temper, he shoved open the doors so hard that they left dents in the inner walls.

He stepped in to find the girl being embraced by another nephalem, a male almost as tall as he was with thick shaggy red hair and a matching beard.

The man spotted him. He moved his firm hands on to Sorcha's shoulders and turned her around to see the archangel.

"Sorcha, get ready to leave," he mumbled to her.

"Its... its been fun but I gotta go," Sorcha quickly said to Imperius. She gestured behind her to the other man while she put herself between them. "My father is here to take me home. You take care now. And you should let-"

Imperius, in his haste to confront the man, shoved Sorcha aside a little to hard. He vaguely heard her hit the floor with a loud "oof" as he advanced, Solarion in hand, on Oisi.

"How did you break through the seals? How did you even get in to the city without alerting the Host?!" he shouted.

Oisi moved quickly.

He tossed Solarion from Imperius's grip before, with one hand gesture, flung the angel backwards into the far wall.

Sorcha, who had gotten to her feet, rushed over to the injured angel.

"Father! You didn't have to do that!"

Oisi growled lowly with an angry stare fixed on the downed angel. "No one touches you like that ever. No one throws you aside like you are an inconvenience."

Sorcha sighed. "I know. He's... he's just an idiot, Father."

"You will find the worlds full of them and you should never allow them any leeway for their behaviour."

* * *

Imperius was slumped against the wall.

The force of the impact along with the scars that remained from the fight with Diablo had left him vulnerable, almost unable to move.

He was helpless to stop Sorcha prying off his helm and discarding it to the floor.

Sorcha placed a hand on the vague outline of his face and watched in fascination as he became real beneath her fingertips. Skin and hair edging over the light until he looked almost human.

"Well, at least you are handsome under the darkness," she mused while taking in the tightly cropped hair, the nose that had clearly been broken and the jagged scars that crossed his right cheek and brow.

Sorcha placed her free hand on his other cheek, taking a firm grip of the angel's head.

Imperius stared at her weakly, his faintly red eyes flickering wildly in his struggle to stay awake.

Sorcha rested her forehead on his and let her gifts flow from her like they begged her to. She let out a soft gasp as she finished the healing only half done when the archangel had grabbed her hand after the defeat of Diablo.

Imperius passed out with Sorcha almost following him into unconsciousness if not for Oisi's intervention.

Oisi grabbed her quickly, hoisted her into his arms and warped away.

* * *

Sorcha woke up to familiar woodland smells, the cracking snaps of a camp fire and the feel of her rough bed-roll beneath her.

Her eyes opened slightly as she shifted under the heavy blanket covering her. Oisi sat nearby while he stocked up the fire with sticks and dead branches.

"Awake then?" he asked good-humouredly without turning his head.

"Yeah. You let me sleep?"

"You were exhausted. I'll be cooking some food in another hour so you might as well make use of the time. There is a small stream just past that small copse and I have your bag with your own clothes."

Oisi grinned at her, finally tearing his gaze away from the fire.

"Here. I found this in the city before I reached you."

He flung a small glittering acorn at her. Sorcha held it carefully in her hands.

"Oh... Leah..." she breathed out.

"I also found the bag of shards I had given you too. I was hoping you might do a bit more with them than hand them over to your captors."

"Not like I had a choice, Father." Sorcha sank back on the bed roll and stared at the acorn that glinted in the fading light of sunset.

"Did you find the golem too?" she murmured.

"I got the crystal. With those two to sort out, it looks like you are going to be busy."

"Hmm. How did the reforging go?"

Oisi fell silent.

"That good then... Is that why you didn't come for me till now?"

"Let us leave that conversation till we arrive at the mountain. We will stay here for the night then make haste for there in the morning."

"Why not teleport?"

Oisi sighed. "I have told you why. Too much warping and we damage the fabric holding it all together. Anyway it is best we keep ourselves as human as possible. We would miss all the best views if we just skipped past everything too."

Sorcha stared up at the sky and the dark slowly chasing away the last rays of sunlight across it.

"Do you think he will follow after us?"

"Valor? Oh yes. But if we are lucky the thought of walking around with humans on Sanctuary will be enough to dissuade him."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Their journey was long and somewhat leisurely.

Sorcha had queried her father repeatedly on why he was taking it so slow but Oisi was cagey about it at best.

Something was wrong. Sorcha felt it deep within. Oisi never kept secrets from her, at least not ones that he refused to even give her a glimmer of.

By the time they reached the shattered mountain of Arreat in the middle of the night, Oisi's happy deposition had fallen into a glumness she had never seen in him.

* * *

With barely a word passed between them, Oisi led her deep into the ruins.

Nothing really remained from the time before Tyrael had destroyed the Worldstone. Still, Socha uneasiness increased as her father led her deeper into the crater.

"Father... what is wrong? Surely you can tell me now!"

Oisi stopped his ceaseless trek forward at a small protruding piece of rock but couldn't bring himself to face her.

"Sorcha, I need you to be strong now. I need you to find that strength within you that I know is there."

"What are you talking about?"

Oisi pointed over the edge of the sheer drop they walked along. "Do you see it? Look carefully..."

She peered through the mist and smoke, only just catching the glimmer and shine that Oisi was fixated on.

"The Worldstone. What remains of it anyway," she breathed out.

Sorcha jumped a little as Oisi's heavy hand landed on her shoulder.

"From here on in, our task is yours and yours alone."

"Father, what do you mean? What is going on?!"

Oisi gently rubbed the top of her hair as he had done ever since she was a small girl. "I have to go, little one. I must use what's left of my strength and join it to Anu's within the stone. I will step inside and become one with it."

Sorcha started to panic. "We can find another way! We haven't tried everything yet!"

"I know but we don't have anymore time to waste. You must go on, Sorcha. Go and find a way to stop this. My strength added to it will last us only so long before it too will fail."

* * *

Before Sorcha could react, Oisi hugged her tightly.

"Be brave like I know you are. Go and find your own path.

Oisi let go and threw himself off the cliff edge.

He soared down through the smoke and ash before slowing as he reached the shining light of the partially reconstituted Worldstone.

He placed his hands on the rock and vanished.

Arreat exploded once more but this time not with fire and doom.

A pulse of light echoed out across all of Sanctuary, all of the universe before it faded into the night.

* * *

Sorcha dragged herself out of the crater and sat despondently on the edge staring back down into the smoky abyss.

She barely registered time passing – only feeling the warmth on her back as the sun rose and the long shadow that was cast on the ground at the eventual arrival of another.

"Nephelem. I have found you at last."

Imperius's voice dripped with disdain.

"What do you want?" she replied sullenly as she stared down into the pit. "If it's to kill me then just do it."

Imperius was confused at her words. He gazed at her sunken form on the ground and said nothing.

Sorcha started to cry with tears flowing like rivers down her cheeks before she passed out from the cold and exhaustion.

He reached down and shook her limp body a little. When she didn't awaken, Imperius picked her up.

* * *

Sorcha finally came to some time later.

To her delirious mind, it looked like she was back at her home – her real home deep within the woods of Scosglen.

"Ahhh. You have awoken. It has been some time, young one."

Sorcha sat up painfully and stared at Shen.

"You brought me here?"

"No. Valor brought you to me and then took us both here."

"He did?"

"Indeed. Although he's since been called elsewhere. Something about one of his brothers having gone rogue. All I picked up on was some angry mutterings about Nephelem."

Sorcha started crying to Shen's surprise. Almost silent sobs racked her body with tears coursing down her cheeks.

Shen sat on the side of her bed and placed a hand on her bare shoulder.

"Oisi wants you to be strong. He knows you have it in you."

"You knew this was coming!" she choked out. "He just... he's gone!"

"Not gone, little gem. Just holding back the tide. You have to complete his work and I'll help in any way that I can. I have a brief stop off in Westmarch first but I shall return when I can. You regain your strength. Once my business is done, we will finish this."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"He seemed sad."

"Sad?!"

Sorcha shrugged her shoulders at Shen while plowing through the thick mud to reach the more solid side of the pass they were crossing.

"Yeah. Don't ask me to explain it. He has all this rage and stuff and then underneath it all he's just... sad. I can't explain it."

Shen reached the opposite bank and shook his feet, clearing off as much of the mud as he could.

"A little surprising. How did you find him other than that?"

Sorcha joined him in his endeavor, scraping off the thickest blobs of mud from her boots with a branch she snapped off a nearby tree.

"Nice, I guess. Doesn't trust anyone by a long shot – especially me."

"Heh. I imagine you and your ceaseless talking frustrated him."

"You're hardly one to talk. But... I think he found me more amusing towards the end."

Shen laughed. "Of course he would."

After shooing his oxen further up the bank, Shen turned to his companion.

"This is where we part ways. Go home and rest. Try to relax. I'll be back shortly and we'll see about what we need to do then."

Sorcha wrapped her arms around her chest. "Thanks, Shen. For everything. Safe journey. Don't get too drunk with all the tavern girls in Westmarch."

The old man winked at her before trundling off with his cart beside him.

* * *

Once she was certain he was out of sight, Sorcha set off down the opposite path to her home.

She couldn't afford to waste time. She would have to regain her strength on the road.

With her pockets jingling with the coins she'd picked up and carefully disguised from Shen, Sorcha set out for the nearest town to pick up supplies before starting her own journey – one that she took alone for the first time in her life.

* * *

Imperius sat brooding in his private rooms.

Tyrael was off searching for their brother while he had sent out many subordinates in an effort to do the same.

No sign of Malthael had yet been relayed to him.

It troubled Imperius greatly. Of all his peers, Malthael was the always the most grounded until he had disappeared.

From him they had all sought advice and wisdom and yet had they not been bereft of him for so long that sometimes it felt as though a dream?

His brother had returned at long last but, to their collective dismay, not to their home.

Malthael had to be found and made to explain himself.

What disturbed and unsettled Imperius more than the situation on Sanctuary was how often his mind bent itself unbidden to the Nephelem.

Not the tawdry wizard that Tyrael accompanied like a lapdog. No, his mind showed him bright green-grey eyes and long thick hair that shone almost as bright as Solarion.

He should have killed her on that blasted mountain, ended her life where the world-stone had been destroyed by Tyrael.

And yet he didn't have at that vital moment his brother's conviction and strength of purpose in the task before him.

He pondered a little more before finally making a decision.

Imperius left the Silver City and went to find his quarry among the abominations that roamed Sanctuary.

* * *

It didn't take long.

He had emerged not far from the small thatched hut buried deep in the forests only to find the place empty.

Imperius glanced around, eventually spotting tracks in the dirt. He quickly picked up the Nephelem's trail in the direction the tracks headed in and warped to her location.

Sorcha couldn't stop the small scream that burst out from her throat when Imperius materialized in front of her.

"Gods! Can you not scare the crap out of me like that?!" she barked as the first wave of surprise ebbed away.

"Why are you here?" Imperius demanded, ignoring Sorcha's outburst.

"What's it to you?" she muttered before pushing past him at speed.

Sorcha earned her second surprise. She was yanked backwards as Imperius grabbed her arm and dragged her almost effortlessly to stand before him.

* * *

Sorcha swallowed nervously as she was confronted by the vast difference in scale between them. Imperius towered over her, haughty and confident while clad in his ornate armor.

"What do you want?" she asked softly.

"You will answer me first."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going on a quest. I don't expect you to understand but if you could let me go that would be fantastic."

"What quest?"

"I don't have time to explain. I-" Sorcha trailed off as something more significant popped into her mind.

She eyed Imperius wearily. "Thank you," she muttered.

Imperius's helmet tilted as confusion took him. "You are thanking me?"

"Yeah, you big... ignorant ox!" Sorcha snapped to his further confusion.

"Is it traditional to berate and thank at the same time on this world?"

Sorcha's anger dissipated. "No..." she sighed. "I'm sorry for that."

"Apologies too? You Nephelem are very confusing."

Sorcha bit back her retort. "Look... I'm sorry I snapped. There was no need and I'm thankful you spared my life."

She stared up at him, meeting Imperius's gaze. "Thank you for taking me to Shen and saving me. I appreciate it."

The archangel made odd jerking movements with his hands and feet.

"There is no-... I mean to say-" Imperius went silent rather than struggle with words any further.

* * *

After a few of the most awkward seconds of silence Sorcha had ever endured, she finally broke the quiet.

"I've gotta go."

"Where are you going?"

"There's a small village not far from here. I need to grab some supplies, weapons, that sort of thing. I've got a bit to go yet before I reach its borders and it's already getting dark."

She had gotten a few steps down the path when Imperius's voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"I'll travel with you."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"You are NOT going into the village!"

Sorcha glared at Imperius who was perplexed at her sudden change in demeanor.

It was dusk with the light rapidly fading as night threatened to swallow up the sky. They stood on the outskirts of a bustling town with high wooden defensive walls and eager citizens flitting from one place to the next.

Sorcha had been relatively peaceful on the journey there before her mood rapidly swung in the opposite direction when Imperius informed her that he intended on entering the village with her.

"Is there something about Nephelem that I should know? You have very sudden changes of mood."

"This is not about me!" Sorcha hissed at him. "You're going nowhere near that village in your current state!"

"My state?"

"It may have escaped your notice but the majority of the population isn't exactly going to be nice and calm when... " Sorcha flailed her hands around in a wild gesture directed at Imperius's angelic form, "... you walk into town. My gods!"

Imperius snorted. "They will have the honor of viewing one of their betters."

"Don't start. Just stay here. I won't be long."

Sorcha had just turned her back on the archangel when she heard a strange noise. When she spun back to look, Sorcha almost squeaked in surprise.

Imperius had reformed himself into a more appropriate shape.

He still had his broad frame and the impressive height, only now Imperius looked so very human.

The scarred and handsome face Sorcha had viewed once stared back at her grimly as Imperius held his helm in one hand.

"Ahem... you may need different clothes."

"My armor will be sufficient."

"No. No it won't."

* * *

After coaxing a merchant who was on the road to the same village to let her buy some of his wares, Sorcha had handed over the bundle of clothes that would just about fit Imperius.

She reached down to pick up his helm that was discarded on the ground and then gather the rest of his things when they suddenly vaporized into thin air.

Sorcha glanced up worriedly at Imperius who responded dully, "I have sent them to my private rooms."

"Ah," she said in turn while she took the opportunity to really look him over.

He had vaguely white-blonde hair cropped tightly to his head with the same broken nose and matching scars she had seen previously.

His build was muscular but Sorcha had a rough idea of that from the armor he wore.

His body was very clearly shown off by the clothes she had bought.

They were a little too snug she mused with her gaze drifting lower before shooting back up with her pale cheeks tinted a bright red.

"Are you well?" Imperius queried as soon as he spotted it.

"Fine," she gulped. "Maybe let that shirt stay untucked."

"These Nephelem rags chaff my skin. Are there none better?"

Sorcha smiled. "You could just stay here."

"No."

* * *

He stood out like a sore thumb.

Imperius eyed everyone he passed by with open hostility while Sorcha attempted to offset it by being as friendly and gregarious as possible.

A short distance into the town proper and Sorcha spotted the inn.

"Right. Food, drink and a nice bed for the night," she sighed.

"I thought we were leaving immediately."

She rolled her eyes. "That was my original plan but, since I just spent time and money on getting you presentable, I feel it's time for the plan to change."

Imperius glared at her. "It was unnecessary."

"What was?"

"This charade."

Sorcha bit back her anger. "Just... get inside," she snapped before stepping ahead of him and opening the heavy wooden doors.

* * *

"Hello there! How can I help ya?" the bartender greeted warmly as Sorcha stepped up to the counter.

The main room was heavy with smoke, soot and the laughing of revelers.

"We need beds for the night," Sorcha shouted over the noise. She took a handful of coins and let them clink out onto the counter-top. "Dinner and some wine would be appreciated too."

The bartender counted up the coins before tossing them into a small draw-bag.

"Only one room left, I'm 'fraid! Busy night. The room has a bed big enough for both of ye... or at least you anyways. He's a big lad, your fella."

Sorcha burst out laughing. "He ain't mine!"

"Heh. Whatev'r you say, 'luv. Now, take a seat and I'll get ya some grub."

* * *

The food was good and the drink better - not that she had much of a stomach for it.

Sorcha watched Imperius idly poke at the dish on the table in front of him while she sipped the last of her wine.

"You should eat some of it."

He snorted. "I don't require sustenance at this time."

"It's called being polite. I bought you dinner. At least try the thing."

Imperius pushed the plate away with one finger before he viewed the crowd of people celebrating one thing or another.

"This place... I would not have thought it suitable for demons to live in, let alone anyone else."

"It's not so bad," Sorcha chuckled before she swallowed the last of her wine. "That's really done me in," she yawned. "I need sleep."

She got to her feet a little unsteadily before making her way through the crowd to the rooms on the far side of the bar.

Sorcha couldn't help but smirk as behind her came a rush of complaints and muted curses as Imperius followed her with no heed to anyone he moved out of the way to reach her.

* * *

Sorcha locked the door after Imperius stepped in, promptly threw off most of her clothing before she then stretched out leisurely on the bed.

"Do you guys even sleep?" she rumbled softly while her eyelids fluttered shut.

"We require certain amounts of rest."

"Excellent. Then get in."

Imperius eyed her suspiciously. "I do not require it presently."

"Well I do and I'm not gonna sleep with you hovering around the room like an angry, ridiculously tall ghost! Just lie down."

The archangel frowned. "There is a seat of some kind here. Wooden. I shall utilize that."

Just as he sat on the wretched thing, the old frame snapped and he fell straight through.

Sorcha didn't open her eyes at the heavy thud and noise of shattering wood.

"Leave it," she murmured. "I'll pay for it in the morning."

Imperius sheepishly got back to his feet. He was lost for words when a soft and small hand grabbed his own.

Sorcha stared up at him through half open eyelids and gently pulled him over to the bed. He sank down and sat – feeling the timber frame creak under his weight.

She persuaded him to stretch fully out until he lay parallel to her.

Once he had, Sorcha passed out.

* * *

Imperius stared at his hand that Sorcha had trapped in her own. His attempts at freeing it only caused the nephelem to squirm and nearly awaken so he let her retain her hold on it.

_What was he doing_, he thought to himself while Sorcha rolled over and pressed her smaller body against him.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Morning arrived in a flood of color and light, bringing with it a certain degree of awkwardness for Sorcha when she realized where she was and who with.

It was a slow awakening as she became dimly aware of large muscular arms resting lightly around her.

When Sorcha finally dared open her eyes, she found herself face to face with Imperius. He was sleeping to her surprise.

Sorcha stared at him, taking in every feature and defining mark on his face.

She fancied she could make out every struggle he had ever endured etched on this thin skin that was stretched over his true form.

A strange sadness came over her at that thought. Sorcha felt so sorry for those angels, born of light and song.

She couldn't imagine being suddenly born fully grown. No childhood. No parents or family. Sometimes she fancied that maybe there were some squirrelled away in the Silver City.

She knew there wasn't but it was nice to daydream of baby angels.

Sorcha finally let out a little sigh before extracting herself from Imperius's loose embrace.

After pulling up the blanket to cover him better, Sorcha quickly put on her clothes before she popped out to see about breakfast and equipment for the journey ahead.

* * *

When Imperius blearily awoke himself, it was to a room filled with the scent of food and the noise of Sorcha as she sorted out the bags stuffed to the brim with supplies.

"Morning!" she said cheerily as Imperius swung his legs over the edge before he sat there watching her work.

"How long have you been up?"

"A couple of hours. Got some pretty good deals from a few traders. Lots of supplies for the trip."

Imperius snorted.

Sorcha glanced at him. "There's breakfast if you want it. And I paid for the damaged chair from last night. That replacement should be able to support you."

"When do we leave?" Imperius replied, completely ignoring her suggestion.

"Soon. Once you eat."

He frowned at her. "I don't require it at this time."

Sorcha grinned. "You've mistaken me for someone who cares. You eat at least half that plate and then we go."

* * *

It was late in the day before they finally left.

Imperius had held out for as long as his patience would allow before finally conceding slightly by having a couple of mouthfuls of food.

Sorcha was willing to accept that instead of the half she had wanted.

They set off northwards.

Sorcha had quickly loaded Imperius up with bags to carry, causing the archangel to complain bitterly.

She had been very quick to remind him that he could leave if he wanted to but if he was sticking around then he needed to work.

Teleporting was strictly off limits to his even greater distress.

They marched for the first hour in silence with Sorcha stopping from time to time to gauge where they were before adjusting their direction.

It was late in the day when they finally reached their campsite for the night.

Imperius was immediately sent out grumbling to gather dry-wood for the fire while Sorcha set up the shelter.

* * *

As the sun set on their first day on the road, Sorcha sat next to the roaring campfire and watched as the sun descended behind the distant hills.

Imperius watched her intently from where he sat opposite her.

"Why are you here?" she asked without taking her gaze away from the colourful sky.

Her companion didn't reply.

"Come on, Imperius. Why are you here? Why haven't you killed me already?"

"I don't know."

Sorcha turned her head to the side. "That's a strange reply. Especially for you."

"You are... interesting. For a nephelem."

She smiled. "I guess that's a compliment." Sorcha tilted her head. "What news of Malthael?"

Imperius clenched his jaw. "What do you know of him?"

"I know he was missing and recently returned. Shen has gone to Westmarch to seek him out. I've heard that Tyrael is there too. I would have thought you would have been leading the search."

Imperius said nothing.

Sorcha got the distinct impression that she had pressed too far. She was surprised when the archangel next spoke.

"I remember a talk we once had. It seems so long ago now. You spoke to me of how you were alone even among the crowds that litter this world. Do you still feel that way?"

"Yeah. Well... it's a little different now."

"How so?"

"I know I'm not alone in feeling that way," she replied with a slight smile.

Imperius blinked. "You refer to me."

"Yep."

"Observant."

Sorcha smiled at Imperius. "I think that's why you're here. You're alone even among those you've known for millennia. Even with all that history, you find more in common with me then those you've fought beside and for. I think that's why you're so angry."

Imperius avoided her gaze and remained silent.

* * *

Sorcha got to her feet and started to throw more fuel onto the fire.

"They're all... changing."

She glanced up at Imperius. "Changing?"

"Tyrael and I were once good friends you know. Similar minds and purpose. I've watched him slowly morph over the years until now when we can barely go a few sentences without there being a disagreement."

Sorcha gave him a rueful smile. "Change isn't bad, Imperius. We all grow in our own ways."

"I am unchanged."

"Oh really? Not one bit of you different?"

Imperius stared vacantly into space. "Once... once I could not have raised Solarion against my own kin but after Inarius... I do not wish to see another of my own sent to their doom by my own hand but I will do it if I must. It's bad enough when one of us falls to demonic hands, let alone to our own."

Sorcha froze. "That's why you're here. Avoiding the confrontation with Malthael. Hoping that it won't be you that makes the judgement to condemn him if needs be."

Imperius said nothing.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

There was no light.

Everywhere he turned, Imperius only saw endless dark and nothingness.

He felt a twinge deep inside, something he had never recalled feeling ever before.

If he had to guess, he would have suspected fear if not for the fact that he genuinely believed it beneath him to even entertain the thought he could feel such a thing.

"Hello!"

Imperius spun around and frowned at the little nephelem girl with long blonde hair in a faded pink dress with heavily repaired seams that smiled at him.

"What are you?"

The child giggled happily. "You got that wrong! It's who! Who are you! Not what!"

Imperius ignored the reprimand, instead turning his hard glare back on the void they were suspended in.

"Are you ignoring me? Cause that's rude!"

He peered down at the tiny being in comparison to himself.

"Where is this place?"

The girl shrugged. "Dunno."

"How did you get here?"

"I've always been here! Just waiting for you!"

Imperius blinked.

* * *

He snapped awake, dragging his body rapidly off the ground where he had rested sitting upright against a tree trunk.

Imperius quickly got his bearings. The camp-fire had burned low as the sun rose for the start of a new day on the horizon.

The nephelem was curled up asleep on her bedroll not far from where he had supposedly been on watch.

Obviously that was not quite the case but nothing untoward had happened. She would not know he had fallen asleep for the briefest of moments.

Imperius leaned back against the tree trunk once more.

"What an odd dream," he muttered.

* * *

They traveled on foot for another full day.

Imperius had made his feelings clear on how he felt about this method of travel only to be on the receiving end of the nephelem's sharp tongue.

He had been left in no doubt that he could "sod off" if he wanted to and that he would "not be fucking missed."

An hour past by before Sorcha had begrudgingly apologized for her temper - something that was becoming a relatively common occurrence.

* * *

As he stocked up what wood he had gathered for the campfire that night, Imperius had noticed Sorcha cleaning some strange wounds on her feet.

"Did you injure yourself?" he asked without thinking.

Sorcha shrugged. "Just sores. Human skin is strong but not that strong. I used to be able to walk for miles without feeling it but I guess I've become soft since my father bought the cart."

She froze as Imperius sat heavily in front of her. He plucked the foot she had been working on into his own hands.

"That foul smelling sludge. Give it to me," he barked at her.

Sorcha handed over the small ceramic jar she had fished out from among her gear to help clean her wounds.

She watched fascinated as Imperius began to apply the ointment to the open wounds.

His hands dwarfed her foot in size and yet he worked so gently that Sorcha wouldn't have believed he was doing this if not for seeing it with her own eyes.

* * *

"Are you feeling well?"

Sorcha blinked at Imperius's query.

"Fine. Why?"

"You're shaking. And there's these strange bumps on your flesh," he replied, pointing at the goosebumps dimpling her bare calf.

That's when Sorcha recognized the tingles that coursed through her body at his touch. She gulped a little.

"It's nothing. Nervous reaction. I can do the rest," she said quickly as she took her foot back from his grasp.

"You still require aid."

"I can do it!" she snapped angrily.

Sorcha sighed heavily, knowing that he hadn't deserved that. Especially considering he was merely trying in his own way to be useful.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Imperius tilted his head, his face unreadable.

"I mean it," she added. "Forgive me. Got a lot on my mind."

The archangel said nothing. Instead he grabbed her foot back.

Sorcha didn't resist.

He worked in silence as the ointment was applied.

Once done, Sorcha gave him a few brief words on how to wrap the linens around the foot which he completed almost as rapidly.

He did the same for the other before he went back to work collecting wood for the fire.

Sorcha watched him go before she stared at the ointment pot in her hands sadly.

* * *

The sun descended behind distant hills once more, lighting up the once uniform blue with shades of red, orange and pink.

"Another day..." Sorcha said to herself while she stared blankly at the sky.

"What do you mean?"

She glanced at Imperius. "One more day and we reach the first spot."

"You have more than one intended destination?"

"Yeah. Some harder to reach than others but I've got. I just... I've gotta do this. No matter how hard it gets."

Imperius turned to stare at the colorful sky.

A comfortable silence fell between them.

"Thanks."

He glanced at Sorcha.

"For?"

"For being odd and stubborn and... and for taking this journey with me even if only for a short time. As much as I wish to believe otherwise, I'm glad I'm not alone."

* * *

Sorcha slept peacefully having drawn the winning straw over who got to take watch first.

Imperius stared at her intently.

She was mostly quiet. Light breathing and gentle movements.

But more than once she had started to shiver and quake in whatever dream she found herself in. She would toss and turn, letting out little sounds of distress before they would pass.

Once... once he couldn't stop himself. He had placed a hand on her exposed shoulder, marveling at how his touch eased her discomfort.

When her nightmare had passed, Imperius had sat down beside her. His watch became more about staring at her.

_She wasn't displeasing to the eye_ he found himself thinking. Pretty enough. For a nephelem he just had to add.

He wasn't overly surprised. These creatures were originally born from both demons and others of his kind.

In spite of his revulsion, they weren't completely one way or the other.

It troubled him more how she had started to prey on his mind at random intervals although he would never admit to that fact.

He finally tore his gaze away and began his watch in earnest.

If the nephelem was correct then tomorrow would be a welcome distraction – from both her and Malthael.

Wherever his brother was, Imperius suspected no good was to come of it.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"That's it? Nothing else?"

Imperius was incredulous at what had happened.

They had travelled far from Sorcha's homeland of Scosglen and now stood not far from from the barren wastes of the Dry Steppes.  
"Nothing more for you," Sorcha replied quietly with her eyes firmly on the scorched earth before her. "You should go home, archangel. Where I'm going you should not follow."

Sorcha set off on a determined path, one Imperius could not divine. He ignored her last comment and followed her as she set out for some inexplicable destination.

* * *

After a mere hour or so, Sorcha slowed and came to a stop at the dried and desiccated remains of a number of carts. Shattered and burned but just about recognizable.

Their former occupants were nowhere to be seen although Imperius surmised their location from a number of rocky mounds not far from the ruins.

"I was born here."

Imperius raised a brow as he faced Sorcha. The nephelem stared intently at an old cart wheel, blackened by fire and half buried in the sand.

"I was born here and in that moment I did this. To all of them, all of this. They didn't deserve to die like they did."

Imperius didn't respond.

"I came into the world like a shooting star. I burned too damn bright. They'd stopped on their journey home to Scosglen. Just simple traders. Never harmed anyone. She was pregnant. Went into labor here. They... they all rushed around. So excited. A new life."

Imperius watched Sorcha reach out and touch the wheel.

"Instead of their little girl, they got me."

The archangel frowned at the nephelem but still said nothing.

Sorcha ran the pads of her fingers along the old bolts still lodged securely in the wood.

"Now... now I've got to use them again. Use that horror to find my path. I wonder if they'll ever forgive me."

She stood up, brushing the dust from her hand against her pant's leg.

"Go home, archangel. Please."

"No."

The nephelem shook her head lightly before she fished out a small red gem from her pocket.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," she hummed before she suddenly flung the gem with full force at the ground.

He felt it first.

An old familiar itch, one that was pulling at his gut that he so often experienced on the fields of Pandomonium. That he felt facing Diablo at the gates to his city.

The ground opened up beneath his feet.

They fell into fire and smoke.

* * *

When Imperius finally came to his senses, he found himself in nightmares.

Sorcha was not far from him, peering out a tiny gap between thick fleshy walls.

She glanced over his way at the small grunt he made as he tried to move his body.

Sorcha pressed the index finger of her right hand to her lips before she pointed towards the gap she had been looking out.

He wanted to kill her. She had dragged him, tricked him even, into this pit he decided – ignoring the other voice in his head reminding him that she had asked him to leave.

He took a step towards her before his attention was swiftly taken away from thoughts of hurting the nephelem to the massive ambling monstrosity that strolled just outside the small alcove they had landed in.

When it had walked far enough away, Sorcha whispered to him, "Thank you."

He said nothing.

"For saving me. You remember, don't you? The fall?"

"No."

"Oh."

Sorcha blinked rapidly. "You saved us both. I didn't think that through. We were so damn high and I... I thought that was it for me."

Imperius snorted. "You've dragged me here. I've killed others for less."

"You won't kill me."

"What makes you so confident?"

"I just know. You can go if you like. I know you can teleport. Fly away from here!"

The thought had crossed his mind – more than once if he was honest.

But something in his brain intolerably kept him here at the nephelem's side.

"So what now?" he snapped.

Sorcha peered out the small gap once more.

"We just need to find a relatively safe spot. Somewhere that they won't find straight away. Then I can get to work."

* * *

He sat wearily nearby as Sorcha, having found her safe spot, got to work.

She managed to excavate a small hole in the strange gooey flesh that throbbed and pulsed.

Imperius saw her remove a small object from her pouch – an acorn bound in glittering shards.

Sorcha glanced at him.

"Can you protect me?"

"What are you doing?"

"For this to work, I need to focus on the task. It'll make me vulnerable. I need to know whether I can trust you."

Imperius glowered at her. "You can't..."

She quickly reached into her pocket, feeling around for the crystal containing the soul of the golem she had once created.

"... but..." the archangel rumbled on. "... that doesn't mean I'd allow those abominations to steal the pleasure of killing you from me."

"Why don't you do it now then? Get it over with?"

He snorted. "Do your work. I'll not abandon you."

Sorcha let go of the crystal before she quickly popped the glittering acorn into the small hole she had dug. She covered it over as best she could before she placed her hands over the small gooey mound and closed her eyes.

She poured everything she had into the task, the world around her fading from her mind as she focused herself into the small seed buried in the soil.

* * *

Time passed slowly it seemed.

Sorcha was still bent over the small lump on the soil, unresponsive to Imperius's queries and vague taunts.

He paced. Something was wrong.

Not just the fact he was here in Hell but out there. Out in the other worlds.

He felt it. Malthael had been found.

The call he had dreaded had come at last.

He glanced at Sorcha still focused on her work and knew he couldn't stay.

Imperius almost resisted until one more summons from his people was his undoing.

_It won't be too long_, he thought. _Nothing will happen._

He teleported away, leaving Sorcha undefended.

* * *

The first thing she felt was blinding pain.

She didn't know if what she had done had been enough.

Sorcha stared up at the horrific visage of the demon that held her firmly in its grasp. Her first thoughts had been of Imperius, if he was hurt, how she could save him...

Slowly it dawned on her once she realised he was nowhere to be found. He had left. Left her here alone.

Sorcha closed her eyes as the demon who held her fast was joined by hordes more.

There was no escape.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Imperius watched the wizard walk away with Tyrael not far from his side.

"You've likely doomed us all," he added to the already pained conversation he'd had with his now mortal former friend.

"So you've said."

"And another of our number has gone. When will we be in harmony again to allow more of us to emerge from the arch?" Imperius muttered. "We'll all perish with none to take our place. Perhaps that is our punishment."

Tyrael glanced at Imperius. "You can't really believe that."

Imperius didn't answer. He seemed distracted, staring out into space before he stalked away leaving Tyrael to ponder his words.

* * *

Tyrael eventually rejoined Li-Ming in the ruins of the fortress, the wizard having waited for his company.

She was, though young, wise beyond her years.

"You seem troubled. I take it the conversation below was not pleasant."

Tyrael stared out the barren wastes of Pandemonium. "An old friend has fallen and with our help. I wonder what will be our punishment."

"Punishment?"

"For the sin of having our brother's blood on our hands."

"Where's Imperius?"

Tyrael muttered, "I've no idea. He goes where he pleases and has left this world. We should go too. Let's us return to the Silver City. We have much to discuss with the others."

* * *

Imperius gazed up at the strange deformed tree that now towered in the spot he'd left Sorcha who was now nowhere to be found.

He wasn't the only one dumbfounded at this new monstrosity that had rooted itself deeply into the burning flesh of Hell.

Demons of varying sizes and strengths all now focused themselves in attacking this abomination only to find themselves being slaughtered with ease that the long flexible branches covered in thick and bloody spikes.

Imperius found himself ignored as this strange battle took place around him.

Sorcha and her whereabouts now took precedence over this oddity.

He focused his mind, clearing from it the distractions from his surroundings before he finally picked up the faint glimmer in the dark.

Imperius immediately warped away.

* * *

When he emerged back into the hellscape, Imperius was dumbstruck.

He'd found himself in a torture room filled with cage after cage of creatures being tormented and twisted by the very world itself.

Imperius easily dispatched the few demons who remained in the vicinity – the rest having been distracted by the strange tree far to the north of where this room lay and had left to investigate.

The place was filled with despair, almost overwhelming him.

He had to find her. The girl couldn't survive here for long he realized.

Imperius focused once more before he picked up the trail and then stalled at the journey's end, horrified at what he saw.

He didn't recognize her. Couldn't in fact.

Her long blonde hair was shorn, leaving her bloody and clotted. Her once bright green eyes were milky white while blood was crusted around her ears. The skin on her hands and now bare-feet was black and cracked from fire and heat.

Sorcha sat morosely in her cage; unseeing, unhearing and unfeeling of the world that lay around her.

* * *

"She fought."

Imperius froze as a voice he hadn't heard in a very long time reached his ears.

"Fought harder than most others. But you can't fight them forever. She wouldn't stop shouting so they took her voice to silence her. Then they took her hearing and her sight just to keep her subdued. Now she lives in darkness, never knowing of when they'll arrive to torture her. Constantly on edge. A more perfect cage than the one she sits in."

The archangel turned slowly and stared at the prone figure of his former comrade, the fallen Inarius who was wrapped in chains that forced his distorted and ruined body to a nearby wall.

His hand instinctively called for Solarion which emerged as bright as daylight.

"I thought you were trapped in a golden chamber of mirrors," he finally said.

"The girl. She fought so hard when they dragged her here. Shattered my prison. This is a temporary solution."

"I've got a more permanent one," Imperius growled darkly as he advanced with Solarion raised to strike.

"Do it," Imarius hissed. "Set me free at long last."

The words caused Imperius to halt. "No. You don't deserve peace."

"And what about you, eh? Heh. You came here for her, didn't you... You'll end up like me."

Inarius screamed as Solarion slashed across his chest, bursting through what remained of armor and gouging along his flesh.

"I'm nothing like you and she's no Lilith."

"How far the mighty Imperius has fallen," Inarius started to laugh. "No denials. Just protestations! You've already fallen and you don't know it yet."

* * *

Imperius snorted before he left the laughing Inarius where he was trapped.

There was no more time to waste on him when his charge clearly needed help. He struck Sorcha's cage door with Solarion, shattered the lock and freeing her. Imperius tried not to be concerned when Sorcha gave no reaction to it all.

He had to gently lift her from the cage while she remained locked in her own thoughts before warping them both away.

Sorcha only awoke from her stupor and hissed out mumbled incomprehensible words as they arrived into the far cooler surrounds of the Aingiris council chambers.

While she shuffled and complained at long last in his arms, Imperius glanced around at the shocked looks of those at the meeting within the chambers, including Tyrael and that damn wizard.

"She requires healing. Right now." he barked as Sorcha attempted to get free from his grip only to collapse back exhausted from the effort.

"Imperius... what have you done..." Tyrael muttered back.

* * *

"Let me see."

Shen shuffled in to the chambers and eagerly rushed to Sorcha captive in Imperius's arms.

"Oh my," he sighed after inspecting her damaged body. "Come. Quickly. We must get to work. Still time to fix this up."

"How did you get in here, Shen?!" Li Ming asked rapidly.

"Easy. Very easy. Now this way, please. Delicate work. Very delicate work ahead," Shen muttered before he waved Imperius to follow him.

"I don't think so. Who are you really? You couldn't have broken through to this chamber..." Imperius snapped.

"A god. Now you bring her to where I need her or I'll force you to."

Before Imperius could repeat his refusal, Shen shook his head before snapping his fingers and teleporting everyone in the chambers away.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Place her on the bed. Quickly!"

Shen skirted around the cramped room, searching for something among the shelves laden with jewels, potions and various trinkets.

"Where did you take us?" demanded Imperius roughly even as he compiled with Shen's command.

Sorcha's faint pained gasp as her tortured and burned flesh touched the bed almost completely distracted him from the question he barked at Shen. He didn't wish to see her suffer, a feeling that was as foreign to him as the place he found himself in.

"A secret. My home from home. Ah... there we go. This will do."

Shen yanked a glittering vial from a row of many different hues and cradled it softly.

"What is it?" Li Ming asked quietly, still dumbfounded at the apparent ease with which Shen had teleported not just her but Tyrael and the remaining Ainigris Council members away from the Silver City to this strange hovel where they were squeezed into close proximity to each other.

Shen gazed at the vibrant liquid. "Piece of her I've kept safe since her birth. Power distilled. Sorcha's not strong enough to heal the wounds inflicted by those born of the Prime Evils. Not yet at least. This will buy her time. At least until she sheds the idea of her mortality that she carries around like a rock to burden her down."

* * *

He shoved Imperius out of the way and gently pressed a hand on Sorcha's mutilated body still wet with blood.

"It's alright, little one. I'm here," Shen mused to her before touching the side of her head softly. Her blinded eyes cleared, the milky gaze disappearing until her bright green shone once more.

"... Shen..." she finally croaked out, eyes flickering around the dark room before settling on Imperius.

"You left... I thought you were hurt! But instead... you had just left me behind..." Sorcha hissed angrily before grimacing as pain rushed through her at the movements.

Imperius didn't reply although he felt the intense scrutiny on him from everyone else in the room.

"Hush. Save your strength. Here. Drink this," Shen soothed as best he could, stepping in front of where she stared at Imperius and hiding the Archangel from her sight.

He offered her the small vial, gently holding it to her lips as Sorcha somehow managed to force down the liquid through her burned throat before she blissfully passed out.

"She'll need some time. You can all leave now," Shen remarked as he placed the now empty vial on the nearest cabinet.

"Not a chance," the wizard snapped. "You're a god? Shen, how the-"

Shen merely snapped his fingers in response, forcing his temporary guests to leave as rapidly as they'd arrived.

"I didn't say you had a choice in the matter," he muttered to himself before he took a seat next to the slumbering Sorcha.

A small glittering acorn crushed tightly in Sorcha's clenched fist caught Shen's eye as her hands finally started to relax.

"Ahhh," he hummed. "Well, this will be useful. Let me take her from your hands. I'll see her to where she needs to be."

"New... Tristam," Sorcha gasped from the depths of whatever dreams she was in.

"I know," Shen hummed. "Deep into the darkness, among the dead must I go. To find the girl her new place. Leah will change all of Sanctuary and not as her mother had wanted thanks to you. Now... you leave it to me, little one. Leave it all to me."

* * *

Imperius looked around rapidly before he turned his gaze to the blood that covered his normally impeccable armor.

They were all back in the Silver City with no sign of Shen or Sorcha.

"Damn it!" he snarled before teleporting away leaving the rest confused and disorientated in the Council rooms.

He arrived back into the Halls of Valor, roaring out from his aides.

"Rally the Legions!" he snapped at the first to arrive. "We need to find this jewel merchant... this Shen creature who wears the skin of a Nephelem! NOW!"

As his subordinates raced to fulfill his command, Imperius stared at the blood slowly drying on his gauntlets. The vibrant red was dulling as it dried and cracked.

He slowly removed his helm, allowing the faint skin he'd worn on Sanctuary before the fall to Hell cover him once more before he stalked to his chambers.

If Shen's hideaway was on Sanctuary then he needed to wear this false flesh once more.

He discarded his armor and sought out something more suitable to wear among the Nephelem hordes. He'd find that old merchant and then through him Sorcha once more.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Imperius stood in the heavy downpour as he glowered around the busy marketplace and its crowds all jostling with each other for one spot or another among the carts and tables.

Two of this rambling mob had attempted to steal from him and then push his form out of the way only to find themselves soundly beaten.

He discovered they were quite weak and only one strike from a clenched fist served to best them. Imperius had knocked both out before strolling away with his possessions intact.

Not that he had many on his person. It had been two Sanctuary weeks since he'd last seen the girl.

Since then, Imperius and a number of his most trusted subordinates had been scouring the world in search of both her and the old man who'd taken her.

Both were nowhere to be found – whatever he was, Shen was skilled at not being located if he wanted .

So now Imperius found himself here at this dingy marketplace in the winter rains as he waited for the man who claimed to have seen Shen not two days before.

* * *

"E-e-e-xcuse me? Are you the one looking for the jeweler?"

He tilted his head downwards and stared at the young man covered in dirt and tattered clothing standing in his shadow. The boy was thin and lanky. Obviously didn't eat or at least hadn't in a long time.

"Indeed. Are you the one the innkeeper told me of?"

"Yeah. Is... is the price still the same? You know... for the info?"

Imperius peered intently at the man who swallowed nervously. "500 gold pieces. If the information can be verified and leads me to Shen, I'll add another 500."

"I-I-I- how can we verif-"

Imperius stopped the young man mid-sentence. "We go to the inn. After some food and new more appropriate clothing, we'll make haste for where you last saw him."

"I can't just leave..." the young man tried to say but Imperius had already strode away ahead of him.

* * *

"Sorry. Just been awhile," Jojin mumbled through a mouth full of bread soaked in stew after having wolfed down the weak meal provided by the innkeeper.

Imperius had pushed away the dish of unknown meats, vegetables and thick crusty bread shortly it was dropped in front of him.

He was not in the slightest surprised when Jojin asked if he was going to eat that and, after hearing the negative from Imperius, scoffed that down too alongside his own generous portion.

"This man. Shen. You said you'd seen him."

"Yeah. Few days back. Came through here on his way north."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"No but I, ahem... I may have seen his map. He'd gotten New Tristam circled on it. And he had something else – a book about Old Tristam which is just a pile of ruins near it. There used to be a cathedral there. Built over by the ruins of something older. At least my pops told me years ago that there was. The old man had some sections marked out."

"And those were about the cathedral?"

"Yes sir."

* * *

Imperius tossed a few coins on the table, seeing Jojin's eyes widen in surprise at seeing even this trivial amount gleaming in front of him.

"There's a store not far from here. Purchase adequate clothing for the season and journey ahead."

"I can't leave," Jojin mumbled.

"Why not?"

"My family... my mom and sisters. They rely on me to bring in coin otherwise they'll-"

"Starve? You don't appear to doing a good job of that task currently," Imperius snorted.

Jojin was crestfallen and blinked back the tears his father would have shouted at him over.

The archangel frowned. His time with Sorcha had left him somewhat open to empathy with these strange creatures.

Abominations he had eagerly categorized them as once but he'd spent a significant amount of time among them now and found bright spots in the dark just as Sorcha had said there were.

This young man was clearly in a position he should never have been placed in and yet was trying in a somewhat admirable way to fill it.

"I can pay you 500 coin upfront. I'm sure your mother or sisters will be more than capable of surviving on it until you return. And use what's on the table to purchase clothing for both you and the rest of your clan. You have till the morning to say your goodbyes."

"Thank you, sir!"

Imperius snorted, merely nodding at the man's ecstatic thanks before handing over the pouch of coins and allowing Jojin his leave.

The girl had ruined him he mused dully. He made sure that she knew that fact when they next met.

* * *

"My lord?"

Imperius glanced at the new arrival who had just emerged into the thankfully empty inn.

"Yes?"

"The Nephalam... she's moving to New Tristam. Apparently she knows where Shen is going."

"Move out. Follow her closely but do not be seen."

"Understood, my lord."

* * *

"Damn!"

Shen peered down into the inky darkness of the remains of the Cathedral. He scratched his head thoughtfully.

A little pouch attached to his belt jingled in the wind. Shen clasped a hand over it quickly.

"Just a delay, young Leah. A delay. Soon you'll be free. Better even."

He glanced up at the dark sky overhead covered in glittering stars. It was a night very similar to this that he'd found Sorcha, led to her by the falling star and the explosion.

She had laid in the scourched ruins of the wagons, crying out her new found voice with the only ears in range being the charred and unhearing ones of those poor unfortunates who'd been too close.

She was the great hope. And now... now he knew who the other was.

"Always two," Shen hissed as he started his slow descent. "To balance. Shame they don't always arrive together."

He landed with a thud on the next floor, getting upright as he brushed the dust from his clothes.

"At least they're both here now. Together they're stronger. Idiot has not changed one bit though. Oisi had to have known. Had to. Madness," Shen spat out. "Well, she'll have her work cut out for her with him although I'd put coin on it being the other way around."


End file.
